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Ancient Arabia Ancient History of Yemen" with links to pictures. http://www.al-bab.com/bys/articles/phillips96.htm—The Web site of the British- Yemeni Society, it has information on archaeology, publications, book reviews, and WORLD more. http://www.aiys.org/webdate/yemhis.html—From the American Institute for Yemini © Studies, it includes links to on-line articles dealing with the history and archaeology of Yemen. ALMANAC http://www.arab.net/yemen/yemen_contents.html—A site on the history, = geography, and culture of Yemen. -VIDEO http://www.arab.net/oman/oman_contents.html —A site on the history, geography, and culture of Oman http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/his_nabateans.html —From the government of Jordan, a site on "The Mysterious Nabateans" and the city of Petra. http://almashriq.hiof.no/base/jordan.html —A gateway site for the country of LEGACY OF ANCIENT Jordan with links to articles on Petra. CIVILIZATIONS http://www.yemennet.com/tour/yemen.htm—From the Yemeni American League, it contains a "Virtual Tour of Yemen," with pictures from archaeological sites. http://www.y.net.ye/Hist.htm — A page on the history of Yemen, it has a section ANCIENT ARABIA entitled "Traders of the Gold and Incense Road.'' http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ISLAM/PRE.HTM — From Washington State University, a page on "Pre-Islamic Arabic Culture," including information on the ANCIENT Sabaeans. To order this and other http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/arabia1.html —From Fordham programs call: University, an informative compilation of observations made by ancient writers (888) 570-5400 ARAB IA about Arabia. Imagine a kingdom d istant in time and http://www.anucci.com/fyi/anc_civs.html — From a company that deals in fragrances and perfumes, an interesting page on the "History of Fragrance." space whose merchants supported a society based not on gold or iron but Other Resources: For students: on the soft fragrant wealth of perfume, Berger, Gilda. Kuwait and the Rim ofArabia. Watts, 1978. spices, and incense. Such was the Greenberg, Blu, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Pitspopany Press, 1997. land of ancient Arabia, whose queen, Yemen in Pictures. Lerner Publications, 1993. the fabled Queen of Sheba, journeyed For adults: Bowersock, G.W. Roman Arabia. Harvard University Press, 1983. across the desert to visit the biblical Browning, Iain. Petra. Chatto & Windus, 1982. King Solomon and whose traders sold Doe, D. Brian. Southern Arabia. McGraw-Hill, 1971 Glueck, Nelson. Deities and Dolphins: The Story of the Nabataeans. Farrar, the Egyptians the exotic substances Straus and Giroux, 1965. Healey, John F., ed. The Nabatean TombInscriptions of Mada'in Salih. Oxford they needed to mummify their dead. University Press, 1994. As goods were carried vast distances Hestler, Anna. Yemen (Cultures of the World). Benchmark Books, 1999. Lewcock, Ronald B. Old Walled City of Sana. United Nations Educational, from the Far East all the way to Rome, 1987. this fabled land stood proudly at the Marechaux, Pascal. Impressions of Yemen. Abbeville Press, 1997. Phillips, Wendell. Oman: A History. Longmans, 1967. Choices, Inc. crossroads. Phillips, Wendell. Qataban and Sheba: Exploring the Ancient Kingdoms on 369 S. Doheny Drive, PMB 1105 the Biblical Spice Routes of Arabia. Harcourt, Brace, 1955. Beverly Hills, CA 9021 1 Pritchard, James Bennett. Solomon and Sheba. Phaidon, 1974. ©1999 Choices, Inc. 4 All rights reserved. Christian era. Turkey and Macedonia. jambia —Curved dagger traditionally carried by Yemenite men. Sirwah—Site of the Sabaeans' first capital. mahram—"Temple of refuge." A Sabaean building where victims of persecution Spice Route—Ancient trading route that ran from China and India to Arabia and could find sanctuary. then along the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. monsoon—A wind that changes its direction according to the season, principally in Yathil —Sabaean city besieged and conquered by the Himyarites c. 50 BC, after India and southeast Asia. which the name was changed to Baraqish. myrrh—An aromatic gum resin derived from plants native to Africa and Arabia that is much prized for making incense and perfume. Important Dates: Shams—Sun goddess of the Sabaeans. c. 1000 BC—Beginning of Sabaean settlements in South Arabia. Important People: c. 950 BC—Visit of the Queen of Sheba (Saba) to King Solomon. c. 700 BC—Sabaeans move their capital from Sirwah to Marib. Aelius Gallus —Roman general and prefect of Egypt who unsuccessfully tried to c. 50 BC—Sabaeans fall under the control of the Himyarites. conquer Saba. 25 BC—Unsuccessful Roman attempt to conquer Saha. Augustus —Roman emperor (63 BC -14 AD) who sent troops to conquer Saba. 120 AD—Marib dam begins to fail. Hippalos—Greek sea captain who discovered the seasonal patterns of the monsoon 395—Christianity become official religion of the Roman Empire; prohibition of winds in the first century AD. cremation cuts down demand for incense and myrrh. Imam Yahya—Ruler of Yemen 1904-1948. Builder of the Dar al-Hajar palace. 525 —Abyssinians invade Saba. Sheba, Queen of—Ruler of the land of Saba who, according to the Bible, visited c. 575—Persians absorb Saba, which soon becomes Islamic. King Solomon in the 10th century BC. Known in Muslim tradition as Bilqis. 1886—Archaeologists discover remains of ancient walls and buildings in Marib. Solomon—King of the ancient Hebrews from c. 970-930 BC. Important Places: 1982—Old Walled City of Shibam, Yemen, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bay of Bengal —Arm of the Indian Ocean between India and southeast Asia. One of 1988—Old City of San'a, Yemen, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. After studying the map and reading about ancient Arabia, read the starting points of the Spice Route. Things to Think About: the sections on vocabulary and important people, places, and Dar al-Hajar —Palace in San'a considered an architectural jewel. *San'a and Shibam are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Conduct a project to dates to provide a focus while viewing the program. After Gold Route --Ancient trading route that went from sub-Saharan Africa to North find out what the others are and how they are designated. Since they are all over viewing the program, review the sections listed and consider Africa. the world, there may be one near you. What's the closest one to you? Have you the Things To Think About. Research topics further using the Guangzhou —Chinese port on the South China Sea. One of the starting points of the visited any? Internet and other resources provided. Spice Route. Formerly Canton. *What does it tell you than an ancient civilization was able to flourish not by Hejaz—Western region of Saudi Arabia characterized by a narrow coastal strip, a dealing with the necessities of life but with luxury items? How does that compare The Ancient Arabians in their Time: highland area, and an interior desert. to today's economy? Located at the southern end of the Arabian peninsula, the countries of Yemen and Incense Route—Ancient trading route that ran from South Arabia to present-day *Research the history of perfumes. How are they made? Can you make one Oman sit at a strategic crossroads. The Horn of Africa lies just a few miles across Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. yourself? the southern end of the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf is off to the East, and the Arabian khat—A shrub whose tealike leaves are chewed by the people of Yemen for their *Historians theorize that the Sabaeans worshipped the moon because it brought Sea, an arm of the Indian Ocean, gives ships easy passage to India and points east. mildly narcotic effect. relief from the desert heat. In what ways might geography and climate have In ancient times, this advantageous location gave the area, then known as Saba, Loyang—City in central China that was the beginning point of the Silk Route. influenced the mythologies of other countries? Why, for example, is the shortest access to wealth and power. Today, it is easy to think that ancient societies were, Marib—Second capital of the Sabaeans. Founded c. 700 BC. Important day of the year such an important event in so many lands? because of their technological limitations, relatively isolated from other parts of the archaeological site. *The massive dam built by the Sabaeans enabled them to sustain a thriving world. But the study of ancient Arabia proves otherwise. The Sabaeans received Mocha —A port in Yemen on the Red Sea that gave its name to the coffee for which it irrigated agriculture. In what ways do dams provide economic benefits today? goods from distant China and India and shipped them to the Mediterranean and was famous. What problems can they cause? beyond. They also produced their own luxury goods that were highly prized in Mount Balaq—Site of a massive dam built by the Sabaeans c. 700 BC. *The Romans were unable to conquer Saba because of the climate. How have other lands. Their wealth enabled them to build imposing cities, the ruins of which Nabatea—Ancient kingdom of Arabia now in present-day Jordan that flourished from climate and other geographical factors protected other civilizations and countries are treasured archaeological sites. c. 400 BC until it was conquered by Rome in 106 AD. from foreign conquest in history? Vocabulary: Petra—Ancient rock city in present-day Jordan; focal point of a caravan route in *The coming of Christianity damaged Saba's trade in certain items because they Ilumquh — Moon god of the Sabaeans. ancient times. were no longer needed in religious rituals. In what other ways might religion Arabia Felix —"Happy Arabia." Name given by the Romans to the kingdom of Rub' a1 Khali —"Empty Quarter." Large desert that comprises more that one-quarter influence the purchasing habits of peoples and affect their economies? Saba and South Arabia.
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